Issuu

Friday, December 30, 2022

Vol. 82, No. 52

A Condo Spec ia with a Proven list Track Record

Judy Fruitbin e

Lic. Assoc. R. E. Broker O 516.364.233 7 M 516.298.538 2 judy.fruitbine @elliman.com elliman.com

Syosset Woodbury Chamber celebrates Chaunukkah

Syosset schools to consider new name for sports teams BY RIKKI MASSAND

On Sunday, Dec. 18, Nassau County Legislator Arnold W. Drucker (D – Plainview) attended a community menorah lighting in Syosset that was hosted by the Syosset-Woodbury Chamber of Commerce and led by Rabbi Jay Weinstein of Congregation Simchat HaLev.

Rabbi Levenson appointed to TOB Ethics Board

The Town of Oyster Bay recently appointed Rabbi Dr. Joel Levenson to the Town of Oyster Bay’s Board of Ethics. “We welcome Rabbi Levenson to the Board of Ethics and thank him for volunteering the time needed to

best serve the public,” said Supervisor Saladino. “The Town Board of Ethics helps advance accountability and transparency in government, and this independent group of wonderful individuals will continue to help the

Town in our ongoing pledge to maintain the highest level of ethics in government.” Rabbi Dr. Joel Levenson serves a wide spectrum of populations handling pastoral needs as well as dynamSee page 13

The Jericho Syosset News Journal is published every Friday by Litmor Publishing Corp. Periodical Postage paid at Hicksville, N.Y. 11801Telephone 931-0012 - USPS 3467-68 Postmaster: Send Address Change to: The Syosset Jericho News Journal, 821 Franklin Ave., Suite 208, Garden City, N.Y. 11530 • Meg Norris Publisher

Making their debuts in 2022 were the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball, formerly the Cleveland Indians, as well as the NFL’s Washington Commanders, after over a year of the Maryland-based team abandoning “Redskins” but not using a name and being referred to as the Washington Football Team. For Syosset Central School District, a discussion on changing the name of the “Syosset Braves” for its athletic teams was discussed at the December 12th Board of Education meeting. Several parents commented, urging the district to not take too long to remove what some called an antiquated, offensive name for its teams. Resident Rachel Jacobson has lived in Syosset for nine years, and she has two children at Harry B. Thompson Middle School. At the meeting she referenced a November 17, 2022 memorandum from the New York State Department of Education. Jacobson urged the district and Board of Education to take action soon because the deadline to change the team name is June, the end of the current school year, and failure to act could mean repercussions. “When I read it, it states in no uncertain terms that public school districts are prohibited from utilizing Native American mascots. It

goes on to state that those districts that continue to utilize these mascots including team names, logos, imagery without approval from a recognized tribe must immediately come into compliance with the Dignity Act – meaning to stop using these mascots. The directive from the state is clear,” she explained. Jacobsen called for the Board of Education bring the Syosset/Woodbury community together in order to facilitate a team name change immediately. She noted this as a longstanding divisive issue for at least the last 20 years, but that the timeline for a change has become imminent. “To date and now almost a month since this NYSED memorandum came out, the only communication we as residents of the district have received from SCSD is that the district is awaiting further regulation from New York State before commenting further. I reviewed this memorandum and it does state that regulations will be coming down – however it states that the purpose of regulations will be to clarify how districts can go about retiring these mascots. Why have we not heard from the district yet that the district will end using the current Braves mascot?” she asked. Jacobson added that the district should be worried about losing NYSED funding and putting its See page 13

Holiday boutique at Robbins Lane PAGE 6 Robbins Lane PTA hosts book fair PAGE 8